I am curious if anyone has information about how the new LAX-PVG routes are doing with AA and UA, after both dived on the route. I notice in one of the OAG threads that UA is dropping one frequency per week in November, although I guess this doesn't necessarily mean loads are bad on other days....

Quoting qqflyboy (Reply 1):Just a quick snap shot for this week's flights on AA show a 97.5% LF, 84% in premium cabins. While this doesn't necessarily show the overall performance of the flight, it is at least encouraging.

It's a great route. It's more complicated with UA's SFO operation, but I think there is more opportunity on LAX-China to be had for AA. PEK would be a slam dunk, if not for all the slot shenanigans they've been put through in the past. I would also love to see LAX-CAN in the future. It's amazing how few flights from LAX-Mainland China there are. It's a great opportunity for American carriers to pounce on.

Quoting LAXintl (Reply 4):
We have 3 Chinese passenger airlines serving LAX (plus 4 other cargo ones) - matter of fact LAX has more China nonstop service than any other US city!

Yes, 1 daily flights on each of them to CAN, PVG, PEK. I understand that. LAX is the logical first US gateway for these Chinese carriers, and I think it's the best China market period. If i'm not mistaken, before these AA and UA flghts started, LAX trailed SFO and ORD in daily seats to mainland China.

I'm not knocking LAX's China service, it's as good as anyone's and has 3 Chinese carriers. I'm just saying I think there is so much more potential there, and US carriers should continue to develop it. Such a fantastic market that will only continue to grow and with Chinese competition that won't blow you away on service levels unlike some other native airlines.

Quoting LAXintl (Reply 4):UA's new flight has been virtually full since inaugural day.

Good to hear. Having both start so close together had me thinking that this might make it difficult for one or both at first - although long term I don't see why both can't be successful flying to china given the size of the market and they are the two strongest carriers out of LAX.

Quoting jpetekYXMD80 (Reply 3):I think there is more opportunity on LAX-China to be had for AA. PEK would be a slam dunk

It would be interesting to see how AA did on LAX-PEK.

I have no idea if it would or will happen, but I would say that AA having daily nonstops to both PVG and PEK from both ORD and LAX would be quite the respectable AA presence in PRC.

Quoting scorpy (Reply 6):Good to hear. Having both start so close together had me thinking that this might make it difficult for one or both at first

China Eastern has the stronger presence and connections at PVG, and United is larger at LAX and more established in PVG and China overall. It will be interesting to see if AA will be able to hold out against the inherent strategic advantage that these two carriers naturally have in the market.

Yesterday, I booked F on flight AA183 using my miles. I know it is still more than a month out but the flight in F/J is wide open. Besides myself, there are no other paxs in F. I know F/J paxs (paying ones or mileage runs) book at the last moment but the AA agent told me the flight is usually filled with with mileage rewards and upgrades. she was actually surprised I was calling so far in advance since my departure is not until July 29th.

Surprised that AA doesn't fly to PEK already. This route is successful, a pity that the pilots debate is going on for so long. I don't know alot about it but it seems to be affecting operations and slowing down expansion.

Quoting worldliner (Reply 17):Surprised that AA doesn't fly to PEK already. This route is successful, a pity that the pilots debate is going on for so long. I don't know alot about it but it seems to be affecting operations and slowing down expansion.

They do and their route/marketing dept. was all up on ORD being the Gateway to Asia. ORDPEK is always safe in F/J and using award travel to NRT usually goes through ORD in my experience. I would love to see more flights to Asia out of LAX for AA.

Quoting qqflyboy (Reply 1):Just a quick snap shot for this week's flights on AA show a 97.5% LF, 84% in premium cabins.

Load factors are not a particularly meaningful measurement of the success or profitability of a flight. Unless the flight is a complete disaster like DTW-HND almost all mainline flights to anywhere are very full. Aggressive yield management will ensure that. We are also getting into the summer travel season, so if the flights are not full now, they will never be.

Mainline load factors across the entire industry are well over 80%, I think approaching 85%. At the same time, the entire airline industry is losing money both on operations and as a whole so obviously most flights are full and most are losing money. The airlines are probably just holding on, hoping for fuel prices to drop again. If fuel stays high however, more aircraft will have to be grounded and fares will have to be pushed higher.